Bouncing Baby

Somehow it is becoming easy to forget how Emily is growing up. With Rosie we noticed every new thing she did - with awe. Now poor old Emily is just left to get on with things. Grandad noticed today how strong her little legs were so we loaded her into the baby bouncer and watched her swing away on the door frame. She seemed to be really content. I guess we hadn't noticed this latest spurt in strength ... so well done Emily!!!

Choco baby

Been away for a few days and not near the computer so it's nice to get back to the blog. I woke up in Northampton this morning and got this lovely photo from Helen of Rosie making chocolate cakes - or more accurately eating cornflakes while the chocolate melted! Great to see her growing up and especially understanding more and more of the language - she isn't speaking much yet - but it will come.

Calm-down helper!

Ahh ... after my rant yesterday I have calmed down now. Here's my little calm-down helper, Emily. She is growing up so fast and it's hard to keep reminding yourself that she is really not just a little baby anymore. She has a real character!

Stereotypical lazy journalism

This is Pat - Helen's dad - eating something he prepared earlier. He does most of the cooking at home, and by a strange co-incidence so do I. You see I'm not the only one, I even got my white sauce recipe from a mate down at the football. Yet read todays Gaurdian and some middle-class journo in the Guardian trots out all the old streotype rubbish about only women cook and they feel guilty cos it's got to be organic and they have a job in the city and they have to secretly buy organic ready meals in cos thdey don't have a life blah blah blah de blah. It's ALL BOLLOCKS. GET IN THE REAL WORLD. Sorry rant over!

The McCarthy sisters

Wow don't they look a handful. Can you imagine having these two round for tea? I am only glad that Helen is staying off work for another couple of months off work - when she goes back I'll be looking after both of them every weekend. I can't wait ... er honest guv!

News Kills

Did I say news kills? Sorry I meant new skills! Isn't language wonderful - and Emily would swearing like a trooper if she could. She gets very frustrated with this stick-on toy and today I found out why. She pushes and turns the wheel and shakes it so that the toy comes loose and falls off the table. What she is after is the juicy stick on base to put in her mouth. Babies eh!

My new "Apple"

It may have been a big week for Apple with the new iPhone and iTV. What next? Well for me here is my latest Apple - a copy of Get Back by the Beatles for the juke box. The juke-box is a 1975 Rock-Ola, holds 80 songs (140 if you count the "B" sides - I am assuming you know what a "B" side is, if not ask your granny) - so it doesn't hold as many songs as an iPod - and it is a bit bigger!

Telly Tarts

Here they are. Rosie and Emily McCarthy - telly tarts both! As I tried to stand in front of them to take this photo Emily insisted on leaning to one side so she could carry on watching Balamory. Emily has had a very bad cold and has been a bit of a handful lately - still sleeping through the night - but now I am back at work how Helen could do with some rest, she's on her knees poor girl.

Sheffield Steel

A couple of pictures for Mike in Oklahoma. Last time he was at Sheffield Station there was a building site outside. There still is but the massive plaza is now coming on stream - literally. There are huge stepped water features and an enormous stainless steel snake like sculputure with water cascading down the sides. Impressive or what?

Rosie's Sausage Stew

Wow. First time Rosie had my sausage stew - and she loved it! Not cooked it before because Helen hated sausages while she was pregnant, but she let me cook it yesterday. It's easy peasy ...dry fry half a dozen good quality sausages until they are brown on the outside, chop them up and put them in a casserole dish with; one chopped onion, some new potatoes, mushrooms, chopped up carrots, a tin of chopped tomatoes and about 300 ml of vegetable stock. Throw in some garlic and seasoning and whack it in the oven for about 2 hours on 200C - stir occasionally. Lovely.

New Year Party? We've just chilled out now!

I think we have just about chilled out after our New Year party. A great time was had by all - 13 adults and 8 toddlers plus Emily. Phew! Here they all are having tea. I am not sure what their parents feed them but one bowl of my home made lasagne and it was poo city - with nappies being changed everywhere. One poor boy - Hardy - was too late and we found him walking round with poo coming out of his trousers .. a bit like "The Great Escape" when the prisoners got rid of the dirt from the escape tunnel by shaking it out of their trousers as they walked around the camp. Still all clean now. Welcome to some new bloggers - you'll see I have linked to them - Domestic Goddess and One Man in a Million - so at least they have fairly conservative views on their own abilities! Well worth a read though.

Global warming?

Rosie with the roses that are starting to bloom on January 7th. It may be me but I think the roses are out pretty early, even if they do get a lot of sun in our south facing front garden. We have had blossom out in the back garden as well. Mind you it will cold again in a week or so when the cricket fixtures come out!

Back safe in Oklahoma

I've been a bit quiet on the posting front recently. What with Christmas, New Year and Christenings. Still should be picking up a bit now ... especially after getting some photos from Mike who has been travelling round the USA by train over the Christmas / New Year holidays. The fact that I've got the pictures should mean he is back safe and sound in Norman OK. Phew. This is a picture he took in New York ... and I am sure you can see more on his blog ... see letter from Oklahoma on the right hand side of my blog.